Metal-ware cleaning



Jan. 6, 1931. f E. R. zADEMAcl-l 1,788,353

METAL WARE CLEANING Filed oct. 1. 1927 2 sheets-sheet 1 'ik by @MQW 77M@ Jan. 6, 1931. E. R. zADEMAcH 1,788,353

METAL WAREQLEANING Filed oct. 1. 1927 2 sheets-.sheet 2 Fig.

A ttorney:

Patented Jan. 6, 1931 UNITED STATES attain PArEnr errics ERICH n. zADEMAcH, oF ELIZABETH, NEW JERsEY, AssIGNoR ro METALwAsH MA- Y., A coPARrNnRsnrr ooiurnrsnn AND ALBERT cA NoLTn CHINERY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. MAN O. BOEHME, ERICH R. ZdDEMACH,

OF HER- METALLWAB-E CLEANING Application led October 1, 1927. Serial No..` 225,465.

This invention relates to the art of auto-` matically cleaning metalware of the oil,

Vgrease and dirt whichhas accumulated thereon during the process of itsmanufact-ure. 1 The principal object of the invention is to provide simple and whereby fiat or shallow work material, such as automobile license plates, pie-tins, etc., may be easily and quickly placed in position relative to a conveyor belt which automatically carries it through washing and drying chambers.

Another object isV toprovide such means which will maintain work material of the character described firmly in position during its passage through such chambers.

A further object is to provide such means which will automatically release the work materialfrom its supporting meansupon the completion of the cleaning and drying operations.

Y s A'still further object is to providesuch means which may be readily installed onor used in conjunction with conveyor' belts of existing types.

The following is a description of workholding means embodying the invention in the forms at present preferred; but it will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and without exceeding the scope of the claims.

The invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein it is illustrated in its preferred forms, and in which Fig. l is a vertical crosssection of a portion of a washing or drying machine embodying one form of the invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail, on a larger scale, showing a cross-section of a wire-mesh conveyor belt of a well-known type, associated with which belt is a workholder embodying the present invention, together with work material in operative position therein; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail showing a side elevation of the parts illustrated in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail showing a cross-section of a wire-mesh conveyor belt, such as is Aillustrated in Fig. 2, but with a modified form of means for atine'Xpensive meansv khere shown anddescribed ta'ching the work-holder to the belt; vFig. 5 is a plan ofvawork-supporting frame and associated parts embodying amodiiied form of the invention which is adapted to 'be used'.

in conjunction `with any conventional type of `conveyor belt; Fig. 6 is a cross-section on the line 6-6 oit' Fig. 5, illustrating'certain desir-` able structural features pertaining to this form of the invention; andFig. 7 lis a fragmentary sectionaldetailonthe line "l" 7 of Fig. 6, illustrating amethod ofattaching the springs which comprise one portion of the lnventicn to their supporting means.

Like reference characters indicate like partsr throughout the drawings. i

Referring to the drawings (Fig. l), l is a portion of the housing of a metalware washing and drying 1nacl'1ine,which` may be or" conventional form and design, and which is merely for the purpose of making clear Vthe mode of operation of the present invention. The machine as here illustrated is equipped with a wire-mesh conveyor belt 2, adapted to ycontinuously carry to the left-hand, or discharge, end, work material which has been placed in the right-hand` end (not shown) of said chine. The upper side of the conveyor belt may be supported upon rotatable shafts, such as 3; and the lower sidethereof may besupported at its edges by rotatable wheels or sprockets, either idle or driven, such as 4 and `5. The belt may be driven, through a wheel or sprocket such as 6, or through rollers, by a motor and suitable transmissiony means (not shown). The machine is provided with well-known devices, indicated as Tand 8, for projecting suitable washing liquids under pressure upon the work material during its passage through the washing chamber.

Coils or helices, 9-9a, formed of wire, are, in the particular form of the invention illustrated in F igs.*2 and 3,v threaded through the interlocking loops of a wire-mesh conveyor belt ll, in a manner to anchor such helicesl to said belt and in longitudinal relation thereto. The work material (here illustrated as athin flat sheet such as is employed in the making of automobile license plates) is readily placed in positionbetween two coils Cll pio

vention possesses in each of `two adjacent helices. The spring tension of these coils is suiiicient to firmly hold such material in position Vduring' its progress through the washing and drying chambers. K

A modified form of means for attaching the helices to the loops of the wire-mesh belt is vshown in Fig. d, wherein, instead of threading such helices through the interlocking belt loops, as indicated in Fig. 3, they are connect- ,y

ed to said belt by means of small rings, such as 12-12alVith either method of attaching the helices to the conveyor belt, the inthe novel feature that, as the belt passes around the wheel or sprocket 6 at the left-hand or discharge Vend of the machine ',(Fig. 1), the coils of the work holders open, thuspermitting the work material to supporting helices 15 are adapted to -be atl tached. The topsof these longitudinal meinbers are preferably-tapered in order that the washing liquid may readily drain therefrom. Each of the longitudinal members is provided with aplurality of perforated metal anchoring blocks, 1,6, through which the helices are threaded in the manner indicated in Fig. 7. By thus anchoring each helix at intervals throughout its length, it is not only firmly supported to receive the work material (here illustratedas a pie-tin, 17) but tlieadvantage is also obtained of uniform expansion of the coils, by reason of confining such expansion within the sections between adjacent anchoring blocks. But for such an arrangement, the insertion of a considerable number of pieces of work material would result in the opening of the coils in one portion of the helix at the expense of a corresponding` compression of the vcoils in another portion thereof-thereby reducing the capacity of the Work-holder and also rendering more diicult the insertion in and removal therefrom of such work material. This feature of the additional and desirable feature of automatically ejecting the work material from its holders upon completion of the washing and drying process. Inythe formillustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, it embodies simple and practical means for positioning and holding articles of divers shapesandsizes, whereby ,such articles may be carriedthrough washing and drying machinery equipped with any type of Yconveyor belt.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiment-s of my invention. I do not wish, however, to be confined to the embodiments shown, but 'what I desire to cover byy Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims. f

I lclaim: Y 1. A metalwarey cleaning machine including a wire-mesh'conveyorbelt anda workholder comprising a pluralityotl wire helices attached Vto said' belt-and in longitudinal relation thereto.

2. In metalware cleaning mechanism, the` combination of a belt for conveying articles and a Work-holder comprising a coil of wire attached to said belt longitudinallyk thereof.'V

3. In metalware cleaning mechanism, lthe combina-tion of a work-holder comprising a longitudinally movable coiled wirdv and means for carrying said holder through said chamber and flexing it at aA predetermined point to release-thework pieces.

j fl, In combination, a conveyor comprising an endless, ieXible belt, Vand end rollers supporting the same, means for driving the conveyor, and aI resilient coiled work-holder carried by the belt and extending longitudinally thereof and arranged to have itscoils spread when passing around the end rollers.'

In. testimony whereof I have affixed my signature to this specification.

ERICH a. ZADEMAGH( invention is particularly desirable. whereY the work material kis not flat but where, as in the case of the flanged pie-tin 17, it is of such form as to necessarily cause considerable eX- pansion of the coils of the helical workholder.

The invention comprises novel, inexpensive and highly eliicient means for readily receiving and maintaining in position certain classes of work material, in order that it may be subjected to the washing and drying operations. In the form illustrated ink Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, adapted for use in conjunction with wire-mesh belts, the invention embodies the liu 

